One-piece built-in range



8, 1962 w. A. NIELSEN ONE-PIECE BUILT--IN RANGE Filed Dec. 31, 1959INVENTOR.

WILLIAM A. NIELSEN @Lqf ivg H )5 ATTORNEY a Jew United States Patent3,051,160 ONE-PIECE BUILT-1N RANGE William A. Nielsen, Louisville, Ky.,assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York FiledDec. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 863,253 6 Claims. (Cl. 12637) The presentinvention relates to cooking ranges and particularly to one-piecebuilt-in ranges that are convenient to mount in a kitchen countercabinet.

Until about 1946 electric and gas ranges were designed as freestandingappliances that could be moved from place to place in the same manner asa refrigerator. They were usually removed from a house with other homefurnishings when the house was sold. Built-in ranges where the oven isphysically separated from the surface units are of recent origin. Theoven is recessed into a wall cabinet while the surface units are droppedinto an opening in the kitchen counter. Built-in range units have becomevery popular in the last decade until they now include almost one-halfof the range market at the present time. The present invention is animprovement in the line of built-in ranges because of the simplificationof the installation of a single built-in range unit that comprises boththe cooktop and the oven.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a one-piecebuilt-in range that may be suspended in place with a sliding action intothe different size counters of kitchen cabinets that are widely used inthe home, without holding close tolerances between the range and thesupporting cabinet.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a suspendedrange that includes both a cooktop and an oven where the entire weightof the unit is supported by reinforced flanges that bear against thecounter of a kitchen cabinet.

This invention is concerned with a one-piece range that is built into akitchen counter. The top surface of the range is provided on three sideswith an outwardly directed flange which represents the supporting memberof the range for overhanging the edge of the counter opening andsuspending the unit in place. These flanges form a sealing means betweenthe range and the supporting counter to prevent food particles andliquids from accumulating in this area. Moreover, the frontmost verticalsides of the side walls of the range are provided with trim strips toallow for adjustment between the range and counter so that closetolerances need not be held between the dimensions of the range and itssupporting counter and the range may be accommodated in a variety ofcabinet structures. The top surface of the] cooktop as well as theslanting control panel and the oven door are all coated with a porcelainenamel appearance finish while the remainder of the outer surface ismerely painted or left unfinished as it will be hidden within thecounter after the range is installed. It is desirable that this range beable to sustain a weight that may exceed the average weight of a person.Weights of some magnitude place large stresses in the outwardly directedflanges. These stresses cause strains in the cooktop and if it beenamelled tend to flake oh the enamel where the flange is joined to thecooktop. This difficulty, in the case of an enamelled cooktop, iseliminated by leaving the flange free of the enamel and applying adecorative trim over the flange. This trim serves the dual purpose ofenhancing the beauty of the edge treatment as Well as acting as a springmember to cushion the deflection of the cooktop under load. Also, itwill be understood that suitable clamping members are provided to engagethe underside of the counter for releasably holding the range in thecounter.

I isi Patented Aug. 28, 1952 My invention will be better understood fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a kitchen cabinet that is designed toreceive the one-piece built-in range embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view similar to that of FIGURE 1 with theone-piece range partially supported in the cabinet.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 ofFIGURE 2 showing the method of supporting and clamping the range to thecounter.

FIGURE 4 is a View similar to that of FIGURE 3 showing theinterengagement between the trim member and the outwardly directedflange of the range.

Turning now to a consideration of the drawing and in particular toFIGURE 1, there is shown a kitchen counter cabinet 11 that is providedwith a counter top 11 and a front panel 12 on which are mounted aplurality of vertically hinged doors 13 for gaining access to shelveswithin the cabinet. The cabinet also includes the necessary side walls14 and a back wall 15 for completing the box-like structure of thecabinet. Notice the counter top 11 is notched as at 25 so that a range16 may fit therein. Each side of the notch has a cut-out portion 22 atthe front of the counter topfor accommodating a wide vertical trim stripon the side of the range. Similarly, the front panel 12 is notched at 26in a similar manner to the counter top. For purposes which will be clearhereinafter the thickness of the counter top 11 is increased along thethree sides of the notch 25 by fastening a wooden strip 27 under suchedges. The one-piece built-in range 16 includes a cooktop 17 and anunderlying oven 18. The cooktop is shown with four surface heating units19 and a slanting front control panel 20. The oven 18 is provided with afront opening drop door 21 for gaining access to the oven interior. Thepreviously mentioned wide vertical trim strip is element 23 and itcooperates with an elongated strip 24 that extends along the sides ofthe oven door opening. These trim strips 23 and 24 are of stainlesssteel or the like and are of such width that they may or may not beexposed, depending on the depth of the counter and the type of edging onthe counter top, without detracting from the appearance of theinstallation.

As seen in FIG. 3 the cooktop 17 is provided with an outwardly directedflange 28 for overlying the three sides of the notch 25 in the countertop. Studying both FIG- URES 2 and 3 it will 'be clear that the topsurface of the cooktop 17 is recessed below the counter top 11, althoughthis feature is not absolutely necessary in the practice of the presentinvention. The outermost edge of the flange 28 has a down-turned lip 29which reinforces the flange and forms a supporting and sealing edge forthe entire range 16. As mentioned previously the cooktop 17 and the ovendoor 18 are covered with an appearance finish so that the range willmatch the other appliances in the kitchen. The three-sided flange 28would be subject to high stress concentration if a person were to standon the top of the range for one reason or another. Such a heavy load onthe range would normally cause the porcelain enamel to flake off at thebend where the flange 28 merges with the cooktop. This problem has beeneliminated by wiping the flange clean of the enamel during the paintingoperation and later covering the flange with a decorative trim strip 30of stainless steel or the like.

As seen in FIGURE 2 this trim strip 30 is provided with straightsections at the two sides and the back of the cooktop while the cornersof the flange are covered with corner pieces 31 that are held in placeby the trim strips 3%. The trim strip 30 has a doubled-overconfiguration so that it covers both the top and bottom surface of theflange 28. An accurate view of the trim stripmay be had fromFIGURE 4since the trim strip is altered slightly in the area ofthe clampingbracket 32. The bottom surface of the trim strip 3% has a flattenedsection 33 to provide a resilient support for the range. The range 16 isinstalled in the counter by merely lifting the range into the counteruntil the flange 28 of the cooktop bear on the side edges of the notchin' the counter top 11. Then all that is necessary is to exert a pushingforce on the front of the range which will slide the range into thenotched counter in the manner of a sliding drawer.

Once the range is properly positioned it is necessary to attach somefastening means which will prevent the range from being pulled out ofthe counter or being tilted by unbalanced forces exerted on the range asfor example when the oven door is open. Such fastening means are more orless conventional in the built-in cooktop designs where the ovens areseparately mounted in the wall from the cooktop. Several supportbrackets 32 as seen in FIGURE 3 are welded to the underside of theflange 28 and extend vertically down from the flange. Each supportbracket 32 is provided with a threaded opening 34 for receiving a thumbscrew 35. The head 36 of the thumb screw is located in an area withinthe range that is between the cooktop and the top wall of the ovenliner. A suitable opening 37 is located in the side wall 38 of the rangeso that the thumb screw may extend therethrough. Access may be had tothe thumb screw by merely raising the pivoted surface heating unit 19and reaching through the opening in the cooktop so that the thumb screwsmay be tightened against the edge strip 27 of the counter notch 25.

Having described above my invention of a novel onepiece built-in rangeit will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art that I havefacilitated the ease of mounting a built-in cooktop and oven in kitchencabinets. Only a single electrical connection need be made. There is noneed for an oven cabinet nor a cooktop base cabinet, and substantialsavings may be made in the countertop while at the same time reaping thereward of having modern built-in appliances in the kitchen.

Modifications of this invention will occur to those skilled in this andit is to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited tothe particular embodiment disclosed but that it is intended to cover allmodifications which are within the true spirit and scope of thisinvention as claimed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A one-piece built-in range comprising a combined cooktop and ovenwherein the cooktop is provided with a plurality of surface heatingunits mounted therein and the oven is disposed directly beneath thecooktop, supporting flanges extending outwardly from the side and rearedges of said range unit adjacent the top surface of said cooktop, andtrim strips fitted to said flanges respectively both to overlie andunderlie the flanges and yieldingly to engage the undersides thereof soas to provide resilient support means for said flanges and thereby forsaid range.

2. A one-unit built-in range as recited in claim 1 wherein the outeredge of each of said outwardly directed supporting flanges is providedwith a downturned lip, said strips having sections closely fitted to thetops of the flanges and sections extending around the flange lips to theundersides of said flanges which they yieldingly engage so as to definespring members to yield under load imposed on said flanges by saidcooktop.

3. A one-piece built-in range adapted to be supported as a unit from thetop surface of a counter structure which is provided with a notch insaid surface extending through the front thereof and a notch in thefront surface of the counter to receive said range, said rangecomprising a combined cooktop and oven, the cooktop having a pluralityof surface heating units and the oven being mounted under said cooktop,the cooktop having outwardly disposed flanges located at the two sidesand back edge thereof, the outer edge of the flange being provided witha down-turned lip, the range being adapted to be suspended in a counterstructure by merely pushing it into notches on its flanges in the mannerof a sliding drawer until the range completely closes the notches, andadjustable fastening means carried by said range and adapted to engage acounter structure when the range is installed for holding the range inplace, a trim strip being fitted over the outwardly disposed flanges,the trim strip both overlying and underlying the flanges and inspringing engagement with the underside and providing a resilient support for the flanges to reduce the strain that might be developed in thecooktop when a heavy weight is supported thereon. a

4. A one-piece built-in range adapted to be supported as a unit from thetop surface of a counter structure which is provided with a notch insaid surface extending through the front thereof and a notch in thefront surface of the counter to receive said range, said rangecomprising a combined cooktop and oven, the cooktop having a pluralityof surface heating units and the oven being mounted under said cooktop,the uppermost surface of the cooktop and the front surface of the ovenhaving an appearance finish while the remaining surfaces of the rangehave a non-appearance finish, the cooktop having outwardly disposedflanges located on the two sides and rear thereof, the flanges beingreinforced by a down-turned lip along the outermost edges of the flangesand adapted to form a supporting and sealing edge with relation to a topsurface when the range is supported in operating position therein, therange being adapatd to be inserted into said operating position merelyby pushing in into notches on its flanges in the manner of a slidingdrawer until only the appearance finish of the cooktop and oven frontare visible, and adjustable fastening means carried by the range andadapted to engage a counter structure when the range is inserted thereinfor holding the range in place.

5. A one-piece built-in range adapted to be supported as a unit from thetop surface of a counter structure which is provided with a notch insaid surface extending through the front thereof and a notch in thefront surface of the counter to receive said range, said rangecomprising a combined cooktop and oven, the cooktop having a pluralityof surface heating units and the oven being mounted under said cooktop,the uppermost surface of the cooktop and the front surface of the ovenhaving an appearance finish while the remaining surfaces of the rangehave a non-appearance finish, the cooktop having outwardly disposedflanges located on the two sides and rear thereof, the flanges beingreinforced by a down-turned lip on the outermost edges of the flangesand adapted to form a supporting and sealing edge with relation to a topsurface when the range is supported in operating position therein, therange being adapted to be inserted into said operating position merelyby pushing it into notches on its flanges in the manner of a slidingdrawer until only the appearance finish of the cooktop and oven frontare visible, the frontmost vertical sides of the side walls of the rangebeing provided with appearance trim strips to allow for a degree ofadjustment between the range and a counter in which it is supported andthe range is thereby adapted to be used in a variety of counterstructures, and adjustable fastening means carried by the range andadapted to engage a supporting counter for holding the range in placewhen inserted therein.

6. A one-piece built-in range adapted to be supported as a unit from thetop surface of a counter structure which is provided with a notch insaid surface extending through the front thereof and a notch in thefront surface of the counter to receive said range, said rangecomprising a cooktop having a plurality of surface heating units and anv yes,

oven located under said cooktop, the uppermost surface of the cooktopand the front of the oven having an appearance finish while theremaining surfaces of the range have a non-appearance finish, supportingflanges projecting outwardly adjacent the upper two sides and rear edgeof said cooktop, the flanges being reinforced by a downturned lip alongthe outermost edges of the flanges and adapted to form a supportingsealing edge with relation to a counter in which it is to be supported,the range being adapted to be moved by sliding the range as a unit onits flanges in the manner of a sliding drawer into notches until therange completely closes the notches in a counter with only theappearance finish of the cooktop and the oven front visible, andadjustable fastening means mounted on said range adjacent said sideflanges and being adjustable when said range is positioned into a topsurface to engage a counter, each frontmost vertical side of the Sidewalls of the range being provided with a wide trim strip to obtain adegree of adjustment between the range and a counter when insertedtherein so that close tolerances need not be held between the overalldimensions of the range and counter in which it is to be supported andthe range is thereby adapted to be used in a variety of counterstructures.

References Cited in the file of this patent

